Identity Crisis

Millennial Generation

I am classed as a millennial. This is a generation of people for whom technology is the norm, social media is the best way to communicate and a day without our phones is unthinkable. We live fast paced lives, often working crazy hours. Millennials may have a lot of debt and struggle to plan for the future. There has been talk of Millennials having a ‘quarter life identity crisis’, and it’s not surprising.

Instead of building relationships we network over the internet and at the click of a button we friend someone on Facebook or Instagram. We instantly have access to the last 10 or so years of their lives and get an instant snapshot of who they are and what they’re about. Then we present a version of ourselves that we feel is acceptable to society but then struggle to live up to the airbrushed ‘live your best life’ idol we have created.

Social media users are bombarded with new ways to lose weight, motivational quotes and images of other people who have it all. Then there’s the pressure from closer to home – to buy a house, find someone to marry, start a family, save for the future. It’s all incredibly overwhelming, but what does it have to do with the Bible?

Well, the Bible tells us that we belong to God, we have roots, a place we belong and are cherished. God does not place these pressures on us and does not have these expectations of our lives.

You Are Not Enough

The little voices in our heads, and sometimes the voices of our friends and family tell us we are not enough, have not achieved enough and will not amount to anything. God says the very opposite.

The Lord your God is in your midst, The Mighty one, will save: He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing

Zephaniah 3v17

God delights in everything we do and attempt in our lives. He has no expectations on how much money we earn, whether we find a partner or not and whether we own our home or not! What matters to God is that we try our best to serve him and show his love to the world.

The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his mercy

Psalm 147v11

Strength From God

In the midst of the struggles this life brings, however trivial they may seem to others, we should know that we can find strength in God. He is our constant, the never failing one we can lean on. He should bring us an inner peace that quiets the noise of outside expectations.

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40v31

The requirements of the world mean nothing when compared to the vastness of God’s love for those who serve him. If we commit to him, his view of us is all that should matter, we should find our identity and purpose in him.

God At The Centre

If we are focused on God, then every achievement and every failure, should be laid at his feet. We can do nothing in our own strength. All our victories are done in the strength he gives us and every failure teaches us lessons in his love.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

Philippians 4v13

Day to day work, school, managers not happy with our work, parents nagging can all get too much for us and can seem insignificant compared to serving God. However, we must remember that, even in these things, God is seeing what we do.

and whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men

Colossians 3v23

Even things that we ‘have’ to do in life, like working to support ourselves, paying bills etc, should be done with God in mind. We should work as if all our work was to be done FOR God. Yes, God might not particularly care how many mortgages you can sell in a day, but the idea is to put our all into our work and our integrity will shine through and set us apart from others around us BECAUSE of our faith.

Relevance

God still has a place in today’s word. A faith and belief in him should bring love, joy and peace into our lives. God in our lives means we have a purpose, a task to fulfil. That of spreading his word and the love he has shown in giving his son for us. We have our identity in him, and it should filter into everything we do. God in our hearts should quiet the noise of the outside world and its expectations.